I Know You
Why she even agreed to hang out with them after school is beyond her but nonetheless, Jade once again finds herself in the company of the ditzy redhead and little miss perfect. They were suppose to have been at Nozu thirty minutes ago to catch the sushi special but of course Cat had to misplace her unnecessarily pink purse. Jade sure as hell wasn't picking up another sushi tab, so finding the gag worthy accessory had become priority número UNO.
As they scour the various empty classrooms of Hollywood Arts in search, Cat babbles incessantly about another one of her brother's episodes and Tori not so subtly whips out her signature hair flip as a couple of hot seniors walk by. Seriously, the girl should think about making a music video with Willow Smith.
As Jade finishes her seemingly 50th eye roll of the day, she can't help but wonder where the nearest car door is to slam her face in. Why she continually puts herself through this is anyone's guess. Some would say she's lonely, an explanation Jade would vehemently deny and then proceed to threaten those some with scissors. She thinks masochistic is a much better adjective anyway.
Cat lets out a squeal as soon as they enter the student lounge when she spots her hideous excuse for a purse by one of the couches. Tori lets out a sigh of relief, but Jade tries to remember to breathe as she notices a familiar tan skinned boy staring dejectedly out of a window near the back of the room. Obviously something is bothering him and Jade hates how she can still read him like a book and that there is suddenly a tiny ache in her chest.
She shouldn't care really. I mean he broke up with her right? He's the jerk that gave up on them. He even tried to kiss Vega of all people! Admittedly she shouldn't be so pissed about it because they were already broken up but the thought still makes her skin crawl. That alone, she thinks, is reason enough not to care. But she does and she hates it.
"Hey Beck!" Cat says excitedly, effectively startling him out of his brooding.
"Oh, hey guys..." he says with a half smile.
"Why are you standing in here by yourself silly?" Cat asks innocently
"Yeah are you alright? You look really tired" Tori pipes in.
Jade remains silent. Studying his face and movements.
"Uh yeah I'm fine, I am really tired. We ran a lot in gym today. I just came in here to look for something..." he says as he gives a half hearted shrug and averts his eyes.
A tell tale sign he's lying.
"Ohhh did you lose a purse too? I just found mine!" Cat beams as she waves the monstrosity in the air
Jade and Tori roll their eyes in unison at that remark.
Beck offers another half smile "No Cat, it wasn't a purse"
"Phooey" she retorts.
"Well after you find whatever you're looking for, we're all going to Nozu if you want to join, if you're not too tired that is" Tori says giving him a toothy smile.
"Thanks but rain check? I am pretty tired" he responds
"Sure no problem. Maybe some other time" she says with another smile.
Jade feels another eye roll coming on.
"Get some rest Beckett! And good luck finding your thing that's not a purse" Cat chimes in as she gives him a hug.
Jade meets his eyes as he looks over Cat's shoulder. They engage in silent conversation as Tori leans in to give him a hug as well. When they're done saying their goodbyes they turn to leave. Jade gives Beck a curt nod and then turns to leave as well. She's half way out the door when her feet refuse to take another step.
She glances back over her shoulder and sees that Beck has reclaimed his sullen stance near the window. Against her better judgment, she tells Cat and Tori that she'll catch up with them, and walks back into the room. She wants to call it curiosity but she knows by the way her heart sinks at how he looks, indicates something different.
"Ok so what's really wrong with you?" she asks crassly
Beck's head shoots up, just realizing that she hadn't left.
"Nothing. Like I told them , I'm fine, just tired." he says quickly.
"Yeah well I think I know you a little bit better than they do"
He doesn't respond. He just stares back at her with such intensity that it makes Jade somewhat uncomfortable
"...so are you going to tell me or do I have to cut it out of you" she deadpans after a long pause.
This time his smile reaches his eyes.
"Why do you care?" he says with a smirk
And that really is the question of the day isn't it? Why does she?
"I don't care. I'm just...curious" It annoys her how unconvincing she sounds.
"It's nothing. I just didn't have the best day." He claims
"Yeah I gathered. You run out of hair products or something? You've been lacking in the hair department lately...not that I've noticed"
She adds that last part on quickly.
"Meaning you have noticed" he adds with another cocky smirk that temporarily clouds Jade's thoughts. This conversation is not turning out how she expected it to.
"Look Fool, I was trying to be nice but-"
"Yeah I could tell you tried very hard" He cuts her off.
Jade just stares at him with a shocked expression as Beck laughs inwardly loving how he can still get under her skin. That's until her face turns into an epic death glare and Beck isn't sure if he should relish in nostalgia or make a bee line for the door.
He misses her. That much is certain, but their relationship had gotten too intense so a break was necessary. At least that's what he tells himself. He doesn't know what he'd do if he ever found out that she no longer feels for him what he so desperately feels for her.
But she's as good as him at hiding emotions when she wants to. So any opportunity to get a reaction out of her can't be wasted. Just to see if she still cares, if only a little. It's a little twisted he'll admit. But when has their relationship ever not been? The colossal fighting he could do without. But this teasing banter; he practically lived for it.
Still, being on the wrong side of "The Glare" is never a good thing as he's learned in the past. And as she takes a threatening step towards him he decides it's best to mollify her before ish got real.
"Ok look I was just kidding alright? I appreciate the concern. It's just that...well I'd been getting a lot of good reviews about The Blonde Squad from people, so I decided to enter it into the LA Shorts Fest and well..."
Jade temporarily softens as his words register. The LA Shorts Fest was the largest short film festival in the world. Just being selected could open up a lot of doors for an amateur filmmaker, not to mention if you won, you automatically qualified for Academy Award consideration. Jade's heart rate quickened as she realized this.
He'd entered a short film, in which she was one of the leads, into a reputable festival here in LA?
This could be their chance, to be seen, to be known, to be one step closer to the dream they've always shared, a dream they've spent countless nights talking about as they lay in his RV. A dream many of those at their school also shared.
"Yeah well?" she inquires eagerly. "What happened? What did they say?"
"They rejected it…" he says softly staring at his feet
"Oh…" was all she could muster as her shoulders slumped in disappointment.
"I got the letter in the mail this morning. I know it's just one festival and there will be other opportunities but it just...it still sucks you know? "
"Yeah, I know" she manages to say after a long pause.
They remain silent for a while after that. Both of them now staring out the window, lost in their own sea of thoughts.
"Ok enough!" she suddenly snaps breaking the silence. Beck furrows his brow in confusion as he looks at her. Jade steps closer and places a gentle hand on his shoulder as she looks up into his eyes.
"Enough of this moping around! This is the path you've chosen correct? The one we both have? A career in the entertainment business?
All he can do is nod in response; surprised by her sudden change
"Well then you better get used to this feeling because it happens more often than anyone here would like to admit. There are no guarantees in this business, we knew this. Not many people make it; another fact we've known for a while. But if we are going to succeed we can't dwell on what might have been in the past, we have to focus on what we know will be in the future."
Beck can't help but smile at her confidence. It's one of the many things that has attracted him to her.
"Like you said, this is only one festival. There will be other opportunities. You're talented, and I know I am, so it's only a matter of time; besides, we both know I've always been the better writer anyway." She adds with her signature smirk.
Beck laughs. A deep hearty laugh that resonates through the desolate room. A laugh that hasn't occurred since before they broke up.
"Very true" he manages to get out between his cackles. "I should stick to acting"
Jade can't help but smile wide. She's always loved his laugh. Especially when she was the one that made him do it. "Yeah maybe you should" she jokes. "But seriously, I meant what I said, you are talented and one rejection letter doesn't change that"
"Woah careful Jade, your niceness is showing. Someone might walk in and see and then perhaps be turned to stone"
"Oh shut up" She pushes him back lightly, unable to stop another smile from ghosting her lips.
"I'm heading to Nozu's. You coming or are you gonna resume this pity party of yours?"
"Wow I'm surprised, though touched, that you'd actually want me around" he says with his same old cocky smile.
"I actually don't. But if Cat starts one more story about her brother or Vega decides to reenact a L'Oreal commercial again I can't be held liable for where my chopsticks end up. It's best if someone's there to at least diffuse the situation"
"Whatever you say West" he chuckles.
Jade finds herself rolling her eyes for what was probably the 52nd time that day as she turns to leave.
Beck grabs her hand and turns her back around.
"Hey..." he starts as their eyes meet, brown vs. blue, "Thank you"
They stay like that for a while, just gazing. When Beck starts to rub little circles into her palm, Jade decides it's the best time to leave. She quickly pulls her hand away muttering a "whatever" as she hurries out of the door.
Beck just smiles as he shakes his head and follows her close behind.
Author's Note: Hey! I hope you enjoyed it. It's my first fanfiction so reviews and constructive criticism would be much appreciated! Oh and I realize the LA Shorts Fest isn't until September for all you fellow film buffs out there but for the sake of the story, selections already happened. Thanks a bunch and please review! :-)